Switch



1,614,176 11 1927' B. o. AUSTIN v SWITCH Filed Oct. 7, 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR Jan. 11, 1927.

B. O. AUSTIN SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1921 INVENTOR .Bascum0. flusfin.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OKFFICE.

BASCUM O. AUSTIN, F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

SWITCH.

Application filed October 7, 1921. Serial No. 505,975.

My invention relates to switches and it has particular relation toswitches for interrupting circuits that are traversed by relativelylarge currents.

One object of my invention is to provide a switch having relativelylight movable parts for the amount of current traversing the switch.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switching device that isrelatively simple, compact and economical in construction and positiveand reliable in operation.

Briefly speaking, my invention consists in providing a switching devicehaving a plurality of stationary arc horns, one of which is providedwith a recessed portion, and a movable contact member having aprojecting portion that is relatively movable in the recess of the archorn.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be made to theaccompanying drawings,

Figure 1 of which isa view, partly in side elevation and partly insection, of a portion of a switching device designed in accordance withmy invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail views in plan, side and end elevation,respectively, of a contact-supporting member employed in the switchingdevice illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views, in plan and side elevation, respectively, of alever arm illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing;

, Fig. 7 is a sectional view, taken along the line VII VII of Fig. 6; p

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are views, in plan, side and end elevation,respectively, of one of the arcing horns illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings;

Figs. 11 and 12 are views, in side and end elevation, respectively, ofone of the detail parts illustrated in Fig. lot the drawings; and

Figs. 13 and 14 are views, in side and end elevation, respectively, ofone of the members illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a switching device 1comprises two vertical supporting members 2 and 3 which are disposed inside-by-side relation, a stationary upper contact member 4 which issecured to a stationary arcing horn 5 by means of bolts 6 and a movablelower contact member 7 which is secured to a contact supporting member 8by means of a tap bolt 9. ed upon the vertical supporting members 2 and3 bymeans of a clamping member 5a and a plurality of bolts 6a. Thecontactsupporting member 8, which is best illus- \trated by Figs. 2 to4, inclusive, of th'' drawings, is pivotally mounted upon a plurality ofprojecting arms 11, constituting portions of a lever arm 12, by means ofa pin 12a.

The lever arm 12, which is best illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive,is pivotally mounted upona supporting bracket 13 by means of a pin 14. Astationary are born 15, which is provided for the lower contact member7, and the supporting bracket 13 are securely clamped upon, the verticalsupporting members 2 and 3 by means of a plurality of bolts 16. Theshape of the lower arc horn 15, which is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10 ofthe drawings, will be hereinafter more fully described.

The lever arm 12 may be actuated by a vertical rod or member 17, towhich it is pivotally connected by means of a pin 18. Thecontact-supporting member 8 is provided with a plurality of projections19 having arcuate slots 20 therein, as is best illustrated by Figs. 2 to4, inclusive, of the drawings. A spring seat 21, which is bestillustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 of the drawings, is provided with a hole22 for mounting it upon a pin 23. The pin 23 serves to position thespring seat 22 in the gro0ves'20 of the contact-supporting member 8.

A spring seat 24, which is best illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 of thedrawings, is provided with a flat portion 25 in which is located a hole26 for mounting-the spring seat 24 upon the pin 14, between the sides 27of. the lever arm 12.

A bolt 28, which is best illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, issecured to the spring seat 21 by means of a threaded connection and isslidably mounted in a cavity 29 of the spring seat 24 (see Figs. 11 and12). A resilient member or spring 31 is mounted upon the rod 28 andtends to actuate the contact-supporting member 8 in a clockwisedireetion about the pin 12a. \Vhen the vertical member 17 is actuatedupwardly, the lever The upper arc'horn 5 is securely mountarm 12 ismoved in a clockwise direction about the pin 14, until the lower contactmember 7 firmly engages the upper contact member 4.

When the lower contact member 7 first engages the upper contact member4, the lower contact member 7 is actuated slightly in acounter-clockwise direction thereby. The counter-clockwise movement ofthe lower contact member 7 is resisted by resilient member 31, therebycausing the contact member 7 to effect a rolling action upon the uppercontact member 4:. The movement of the lever arm 12 about the pin 14causes a relatively slight horizontal movement of the contact surfacesof the contact segments 4 and 7, thereby ensuring a wiping actionthereof. The contact-supporting member 8 is electrically connected tothe stationary contact terminal 33 by a flexible conductor 34: and tapbolts 35 and 36, which are mounted in the contact-supporting member 8and the sup orting bracket 13.

The ower arc horn 15, which is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive,of the drawings, is provided with a plurality of supporting arms 38having holes 39 therein for receiving the bolts 16. The are born 15 isprovided with a hollow projecting portion 41 having side walls 42 and abottom portion 43. The cavity formed by the side walls &2

is of sufficient width to permit a projecting POlt-iOnfld of thecontact-supporting memher 8 to move vertically therein.

The switch 1 is provided with a blow-out coil 45, which is mounted upona core member 46, and with a plurality of pole pieces 4'? which aresecured to the sides of an arc box 48.

The coil 45 is protected from any arcing action at the tip or the upperarc horn 5 by an insulatin barrier 49. A cover member and a p urality ofside members 51 are provided for the switching device 1. A stationarycontact terminal 52, which is electrically connected directly to theblow-out coil 45, is secured to the vertical members 2 and 3 by means ofa bracket 53 and a plurality of bolts 54.

When the switching device 1 occupies its closed position, a circuit isestablished from the lower contact terminal 33 through the flexibleconductor 34, pin 12a, contact-supporting member 8, contact members 7and 4, arc horn 5 and blow-out coil 45 to stationary contact terminal52.

When the switch 1 is opened under load conditions, the contact member 7is disengaged from the contact segment 4, thereby establishing an arctherebetween, which is forced outwardly by the flux that is set up bythe magnetic circuit comprisin, the pole pieces 47 and core member 46.The current passes from the contact segment 7 through the projection 44of the contact-supporting member 8, stationary are born 15 and thence,as an arc, across the air gap to the stationary are born 5. The are willtend to move out along the arc horns 5 and 15 until it is extinguished.

The advantage of havin the are born 15 stationary is that its weiglitdoes not have to be carried by the vertical member 17, thereby lesseningthe Wei ht of the movable parts of the switch and t us eliminating ordiminishing any chattering of the contact members 4 and 7 of the switchwhen actuated to closed position.

While I have shown my invention in the preferred form, it is apparentthat minor modifications may be made in the shape and position ofcertain portions of the switch without departing from the spirit of myinvention. I desire, therefore, to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. in a. switching device, in combination, a plurality of co-operativecontact members, one of said contact members being movable, an arc hornfor receiving arcs from the movable contact member, said are horn havinga recess therein into which the contact member may be moved tofacilitate the delivery of an arc.

2. In a switching device, in combination, a plurality of co-operativecontact members, one of said contact members being movable, an are bornfor receiving arcs from the movable contact member, said are horn havinga recess therein into which the contact member may be moved tofacilitate the delivery of an are, said contact member having aprojection thereon shaped to fit into said recess and engage the areborn to facilitate the delivery of an are.

3. In a switchin device, the combination with a plurality ot contactmembers, one of said contact members being movably mount ed, of an archorn having a recess, and a projecting member actuated within saidrecess by said movable contact member.

4. In a switching device, the combination with a plurality of contactmembers, one of said contact members being movably mounted, of an areborn having a recess and a projecting member actuated within said recessby said movable contact member to electrically connect said movablemember and said horn.

5. A switching device comprising, in combination, a frame, a stationarycontact member carried by the frame. a movable contact member, aswitch-actuating member for operating the movable contact member, saidmovable con tact member being mounted to move relative to the actuatingmember, means for retaining the movable contact member in apredetermined position when the switch is open and to permit movement ofthe contact member during the closure resilient means tending to retainthe mov able contact member in a predetermined position, thereby toprovide for imparting to the contact member a rolling and wiping actionwhen the switch is closed, and an arc horn for receiving arcs from themovable contact member, said arc horn having a recess formed therein forthe reception of the movable contact member to facilitate the deliveryof an arc.

7 In a switching device, the combination with a plurality of contactmembers, and means for pivotally mounting one ofsaid contact members, ofan arcing horn having a recess, and a conducting member actuated in saidrecess by said means.

8. A switching-device comprising, in combination, aframe, stationary andmovable switch members carried by the frame, contact members mounted onthe switch members, one of said contact members being pivotally mountedon a corresponding switch member, means adapted to effect a movement ofthe pivotally mounted contact member relative to. the correspondingswitch member as the switch member is moved toward closedposition, saidcontact member rotating means being resilient thereby to permit arolling and wiping action when the contact members are brought intoengagement,

and arcing horns disposed to receive arcs from the contact members, saidarcing horns being stationary.

9. A switching device comprisin in combination, a frame, stationary anmovable switch members carried by thejframe, contact members mounted onthe switchmembers, one of said contact members being pivotally mountedon a corresponding switch member, means adapted to effect a movement ofthe pivotally mounted contact member relative to the correspondingswitch member, as the switch member is moved toward closed position,said contact member rotating means being resilient thereby to permit arolling and wiping action when the contact members are brought intoengagement and stationary arcing horns provided with projectionsdisposed adjacent the outer ends of the contact members.

10. A switching device comprising, in combination, a frame, stationaryand movable switch members carried by the frame, contact members mountedon the switch members,'one of said contact members being pivotallymounted on a corresponding switch member, means adapted to effect amovement of the pivotally mounted contact member relative to thecorresponding switch member as the switch member is moved toward closedposition, said contact member rotating means being resilient thereby topermit a rolling and wiping action when the contact members are broughtinto engagement, arcing horns disposed to receive arcs from said contactmembers, and means electrically connected to the movable contact memberadapted to contact with one of the arcing horns when the movable switchmember is moved to a predetermined position.

11. A switching device comprising, in combination, a frame, stationaryand movable switch members carried by the frame, contact members mountedon the switch members, one of said contact members being pivotallymounted on a corresponding switch member, means adapted to effect amovement of the pivotally mounted contact member relative to thecorresponding switch member as the switch member is moved toward closedposition, said contact member rotating means being resilient thereby topermit a rolling and wiping action when the contact members are broughtinto engagement, arcing horns disposed to receive arcs from the contactmembers, and an arm electrically connected to the movable contact memberdisposed to contact with one of the arcing horns when the movable switchmember is moved to a predetermined position.

12. A switching device comprising, in

combination, a frame, stationary and movable switch members carried bythe frame, contact members mounted on the switch members, one of saidcontact members being pivotally mounted on a corresponding switchmember, means adapted to effect a movement of the pivotally mountedcontact member relative to the corresponding switch member as the switchmember is moved toward closed position, said contact member rotatingmeans being resilient, thereby to permit a rolling and wiping actionwhenthe contact members. are brought into engagement, arcing horns disposedto receive arcs from the contact members, an arm electrically connectedto the movable contact member disposed to contact with one of the arcinghorns when the movable switch. member is moved to a predeterminedposition, and a plurality of walls formed on the arcing horn, saidwallsbeing spaced to permit movement of said arm therebetween.

13. A switching device comprising, in combination, a frame, stationaryand movable switch' members carried by the frame, contact membersmounted on the switch members, one of said contact members beingpivotally mounted on a corresponding switch member, means adapted toeffect a movement of the pivotally mounted contact member relative tothe corresponding switch member as the switch member is moved towardclosed position, said contact member rotating means being resilientthereby to permit a rolling and Wiping action when the contact membersare brought into engagement, stationary arcing horns disposed to receivearcs from the contact members, said arcing horns being provided withprojections located adjacent the outer ends of the contact members, andmeans electrically connected to the movable contact member disposed tocontact with one of the arcing horns when the movable switch memher ismoved to a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th dayof September 1921.

BASCUM O. AUSTIN.

